Warrnambool garage sadist granted parole

Graeme Slattery being led to a police divisional van outside the Warrnambool courthouse in 2004.

THE man who kept a woman in his Warrnambool garage, forcing her to eat his faeces and stand upside down naked, has been released on parole.

Graeme Slattery, who was described as “violent, sadistic and gross” by a County Court judge, walked free from jail on Monday.

The Adult Parole Board approved his release after reviewing the case at a hearing last month.

Now 52, Slattery will be subject to what the board calls “a strict supervision regime” and will be closely monitored by Community Correctional Services Victoria.

The board has also imposed a number of special conditions on his parole order, requiring him to have regular drug and alcohol testing, not contact his victims or their families and be monitored with an electronic device.

In addition, Slattery must agree to a curfew, be assessed for ongoing treatment and take part in specific treatment programs.

The board has directed that he not visit “certain geographical areas” or have contact with “certain classes of individuals”. A statement released yesterday did not divulge specific details of these conditions.

“If Mr Slattery fails to comply with any of the conditions on his order it will be immediately reported to the board for their consideration,” the board said.

In May 2004, Slattery was sentenced to 14 years in prison with a non-parole period of 11 years and six months.

At the time, the County Court judge gave him credit for 1092 days that he had served while on remand awaiting sentencing.

Slattery became eligible for parole on November 7, 2012, but was not released on that date.

“Release on parole is not automatic. The board’s paramount consideration is the safety of the community,” the statement said.

Board members must consider a person’s criminal history, personal background, mental health and the nature and circumstances of their offending when hearing parole applications.

They also consider the prisoner’s behaviour, particularly during the last half of their sentence.

Slattery, a former boat builder, was convicted on 42 charges against a woman and her two children between 1996 and 1999, including assault and intentionally causing serious injury.

He was found guilty of crimes including forcing the woman to drink motor oil, eat human faeces, beating her with a fire poker and a broom handle and forcing her to stand on her head naked with her legs apart in front of other men.

Slattery also urinated in her mouth, sheared off her hair and forced her to pierce her nipple.

He was also convicted on a further 27 charges over the mistreatment of two former employees, another woman and her two children, financial fraud and blackmail.

Under reforms introduced by the state government in the past 18 months, the parole board has increased power to cancel parole for non-compliance and provide information about people who are granted parole to registered victims.